How can you inspire positive change through your live event speaking?

Invoking a curiosity and emotion that's a bit underneath the surface but wanting to come out. An experience or emotional that others can relate to. And then offer one quick practical step to move closer to bringing that positive change to life.

Purposeful speaking demands an in-depth level of self-awareness that acts as a force to pull your audience in. When speaking, self-awareness is reflected by your authenticity, vulnerability, and ability to self-reflect. But also through your core values and motivations which highlight your purpose. To resonate with your audience, thread your lived experiences/expertise seamlessly into the fabric of your message. Stories loaded with genuine emotions can enable impactful communication. Storytelling is also about mastering the art of relevance, turning into a strong instrument, that is fine-tuned by self-awareness. Stand grounded in your authenticity, and the resonance with your audience will become a powerful connection!

Public speaking always brings me back to Barak Obamas speech. His art of storytelling is a powerful way to share a message. To put forward your purpose, your connect with the audience and the result of your expectations. His effective speaking (especially in how stories can communicate ideas without outright saying them)

Always start with the end in mind… what do you want your audience to gain from your speech? What do you want them to feel, think and do as a result of your presentation. Meaning matters; it needs to be meaningful for your audience otherwise it’s simply noise.

The very first thing you must know is who is your audience. Who are you speaking to? If you don't know that, you won't be able to create a talk that relates to them. Knowing what you intend to share and what outcome you want them to experience is key, but you MUST know who they are first. Understand them, know what type of language will relate to them the best - are they business professionals - young or seasoned, are they firefighters or stay-at-home parents, can you drop foul language or would that be a no-no? These are just examples to get you thinking about what you should know about them. With that information, you'll be better prepared and step on stage with far more confidence!

Knowing your audience is essential, and that is where the pre-work comes in. You must spend time with the leader(s) who have brought you in to speak to their people, ask lots of questions. What are some takeaways you'd like your people to have? What are the "wins" your team has had? Where are you succeeding? What are the challenges facing your industry, your company, your people and you?

How can one grasp the true pain points of the audience unless they invest considerable time and research effort into the specific industry and demographic. As speakers we must work hard to earn the trust of our audience by engaging them. We are not celebrities, we are problem solvers who give more than they get!

Do I talk about DDLJ or ZNMD? If you're an Indian and fond of movies, you may have seen Dilwale Dulhania and Zindagi na milegi dobara. One of these movies was released in 1995 and the other in 2011. Why am I talking about these mega hit movies? It's because they appeal to different audiences. Many millennials may not have seen DDLJ but there's a fair chance of them having seen ZNMD. In case I need to quote an example from a movie, it has to be basis the demographics and psychographics. I need to speak the language of my audience to appeal more to them!

I think it’s important to know your audience when you’re speaking at a live event, your audience will determine the type of message you deliver and how you deliver it. I also think a powerful way to inspire positive change is to show your audience how they can implement things, don’t just tell them what they need to do, show them. A lot of the times an audience knows what they need to do but they don’t know how to do it and as the speaker that’s where you come in and bring the solution.

Emotions enable people to take action. To inspire positive change, you need to find a way to trigger the right emotions in people. Choose emotions that will get your audience to see themselves in your message. If you can get your audience to relate with your message, you’re well on your way to inspiring positive change.

Knowing your topic is central to giving any speech or talk. Equally or more important is finding a story that will tap into the emotions of the audience to bring the topic to the fore. Without a compelling story it will be very difficult to convey the significance of the topic!

I believe it is helpful to adapt to the audience. Use visuals, photos, short videos, graphics, even simple charts if applicable. Engage the audience with questions, and use both expert related and simple terminology explaining the topics. Personal experience is also very helpful to provide real life examples.

Knowing your topic is very important such that you will be better positioned to give examples that are real, and that people can easily relate to, knowing your topic also gives one a chance to not depend on reading or referring to other materials which will also show that they are comfortable with what they are talking about and Their passion for the topic.

Knowing your topic means you can break it down to its simplest form… no jargon, nothing that gets in the way of the core message. It is easy to talk at length about a topic, far more difficult to be succinct and make every word count. Knowing your topic also means you know where the gaps might be for your audience and how you might ensure that it’s answered.

It's not important to simply know the topic. With the advancement in AI and search engines, the course content can be prepared easily for any topic. One needs to make it more credible and interesting for the audience. There has to be a mix of logic and emotions. Logic flows in from data while emotions get conveyed through relevant stories. One needs to avoid jargons. The idea is not to sound more intelligent but be able to communicate effectively (communication happens when the other person understands what you've stated)

Self-awareness also comes in handy here. It is capital to inspire positive change. As a neurodivergent speaker, I always spill the beans upfront to prepare my audience for my quirks: fast-talking, memory hiccups or fidgeting. This reveals both my ability to be vulnerable but also my dynamism and my grit, enabling a more genuine connection with my audience. This self-awareness isn't just about your speech; my speaking coach taught me how to rock an outfit that suits both my bodytype and the vibe of the event! So in a nutshell, become more self-aware and let your authenticity shine to inspire folks to do the same when connecting with you!

What I feel to be an important ingredient of a talk is to include actionables. Dealing with the theory part is important. But one should always emphasise on the actions to be taken up to bring about the positive change. Also, actions need to be authenticated through live examples who created a change in their lives or the society following the suggested actions.

Confidence is key, understanding that self approval comes before any audience accepts what you have to say. The hardest choice any of us will make is to be ourselves in-front of others.

Every person has a different style, how we talk, walk, express. Every speaker is different, observe others but try not to copy them, fakeness shows. Live speaking requires prep time, rehearse in front of a mirror, or some good friends, or record your self and watch it. This feedback reveals the strengths and weaknesses to work on. For example, a flat steady voice can be boring. Identify the parts of your personality that can be used to maintain the interest of the audience.

Not everyone can crack jokes! Yes, its important to know one's style and not be carried away. Its about being authentic. A live event is as much about the delivery style as it is about the content. One needs to make the entire experience more interesting. It means using all aspects of effective communication including voice modulation and body language.

I will leave the tips and trick up to other contributors The most effective way to bring about change through any event is to initiate change within yourself first. I've observed many speakers attempting to gauge how they can captivate the audience, often making excuses like the event being virtual or assuming people don't understand. In most cases, it's the speaker who needs to listen rather than speak on the stage. So, ask yourself, what do you need to change within yourself first?

Whenever possible, also do your best to track impact/changes/transformations that come from your work over time. Being able to show actual numbers on this when presenting the topic to new audiences is likely to make your presentation even more impactful and encourage more people to join your movement. It is incredibly powerful social proof, and as an extra bonus it will increase your credibility.

It's different when we speak with a mindset to create impacts that benefit/serve the audience/community, as if we're radiating light from within ? Knowing the impact can provide good guidance for the audience to share and apply the positive messages in their daily lives. It also helps the speakers engage with their speech and instil positive vibes ?? Impact bridges knowledge & real-life practice.

- Know the Audience - Structure your Speech according with the time you have - Have a Purpose and clear Objective - Be Nice with your Audience - Short, Sweet and Clear with your messages (not to much time around with the same point) - Key Points - Key Messages - What would you like to be remembered: You, Your Message or Both?

Be authentic. One way to do this is by telling stories about your own experiences or others’ experiences that have moved you. Think about the last speaker you listened to. What do you remember? Why do you think you remember that? I am more likely to remember a meaningful story than a speaker throwing words or quotes at me.

I would like to add a few pointers: 1. Always keep a track of time - you don't want to be the only person listening to your talk! 2. Involve the participants - they should be allowed to actively engage in the discussions 3. Call people by name - you have their mind and ears if you know their name.